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Vol 06 Chapter 196: Anxiety

 

About ten days have passed since the start of the Second Western Conquest. We have already destroyed three local patrician families and incorporated two more into our fold by appointing them as vassals.

This outcome was inevitable. The local patricians could muster at most around three thousand troops. In contrast, we have an army of eight thousand.

Both Ron, Gram, and Roswald are growing as generals. I sincerely hope they continue to advance in this way.

Nevertheless…

「It seems that among the three, Roswald has the most military talent.」

「Yes, that’s true. Well, he is the leader of the Praetorian Cohort so he also has more experience.」

Bartolo responded.

So it’s not a matter of talent but experience? Ron and Gram will likely catch up eventually then.

「Ron is better at post-war processing than Roswald. And it seems Gram excels in governance in peacetime.」

I pondered as I read the reports sent by the three of them.

Probably due to his work as the drug control and counterintelligence leader, Ron handles post-war processes well, efficiently dealing with remnants and internal banditry. Gram, using his experience overseeing forest development, has superior abilities regarding subsequent management policies compared to the other two.

Ron, Roswald, and Gram, all resemble me.

They lack the military talents of Bartolo or Alexios. They aren’t as skilled in negotiations as Iarl. They don’t excel in political dealings like Raymond. Nor do they possess the commercial acumen of Ainz.

However, they have no significant weaknesses. In a good sense, they are all-rounders; in a bad sense, they are jacks of all trades but masters of none.

I believe such personnel are necessary in a certain number.

This is because people tend to favor their areas of expertise.

Civil officials tend to neglect diplomatic negotiations and warfare. Diplomats tend to neglect internal affairs and warfare. Military officials tend to neglect internal affairs and diplomatic negotiations.

A vehicle needs at least three wheels to be stable. The same applies to people and countries.

Even if one is not outstanding in every field, having individuals with knowledge across various areas makes it easier to maintain overall balance.

I believe all three of them have significant potential for growth, so I want them to continue gaining experience.

「So, what is the reason you called for me?」

「You’ve heard about the Adernian Liberation War, right?」

Bartolo nodded emphatically. I had already informed the senior officials about this matter.

Julia and Tetra are pregnant, so I haven’t told them. Knowing that our country is in a somewhat disadvantageous position can cause unneeded stress.

「I want to entrust this matter to you. Can you handle it?」

「I humbly accept your royal command.」

Bartolo answered without hesitation.

The northern Adernian Peninsula is at a considerably different latitude than the southern Adernian Peninsula, so the climate is also vastly different.

More importantly, he will be separated from his family for a long time, and if he were to die in battle, there’s no certainty his body would be returned. The enemies are the Gallians, who have completely different cultures and religions from the Adernians.

「May I ask one thing?」

「What is it?」

「How should I fight? Should I take it easy and fight in a way that minimizes damage?」

That is the main point of concern. Actively participating in the war would lead to greater damage.

However, if we become too passive and lose, we might suffer severe pursuit and immense damage. Even if we don’t lose, our country’s reputation will significantly decline. That’s something I’d prefer to avoid.

「Try to manage it skillfully.」

「It sounds challenging, but I’ll do my best.」

「Thank you, Bartolo. Also, keep in mind that this Adernian Liberation War might be stopped at the last moment. Just keep that in the back of your mind.」

Another concern about this dispatch is that our country’s strongest general will have to remain abroad for an extended period. This will significantly weaken our national defense.

No one can replace Bartolo… no, perhaps there is one.

「That’s all for now.」

After chatting for about an hour, Bartolo returned to his mansion.

◇

「I’m sorry, Julia. I haven’t been able to make time recently,」

I apologized, holding Julia’s hand. Over the past few days, I’ve had very little time to spend with Julia or Tetra.

This was due to the issues with the anti-Gallia alliance and the Second Western Conquest.

「It’s okay… I know you’re busy too.」

Julia said, leaning against my chest. Perhaps because of the baby in her womb, she felt noticeably heavier—the weight of life.

「…Hey, can I ask you something?」

「What is it?」

Julia looked up at me with teary eyes. She hesitated for a moment, then, as if making up her mind, she asked me in a soft voice.

「…What if the next one is a girl too?」

Once she started, Julia’s words flowed out like a dam breaking.

「I know, my child is supposed to be the heir, right? Otherwise, the country will fall into chaos. The children of Tetra won’t be accepted by the Rosais or Dibel Families. Only my child will be supported by the three families. So it has to be my child. I understand that, I do. I have to give birth to a boy… but what if it’s a girl? What should I do? I don’t want you to be in a difficult situation because of me… but I don’t know what to do. I just don’t know…」

Julia buried her face in my chest, crying as she spoke. I held her tightly.

I had tried my best not to put pressure on Julia. I had firmly instructed the castle’s slaves, servants, officials, magicians, and nobles to do the same.

However… Perhaps there was an unspoken pressure. Or maybe Julia was blaming herself.

Truthfully, I would prefer a boy. But Julia is still very young. Women can give birth without issues into their thirties, and while riskier, it’s still possible in their forties or even fifties.

We are both only twenty-one years old. There’s no need to rush.

But for Julia, it seems different… Pregnancy often makes women emotionally unstable. I need to calm her down now.

「It’s okay. I don’t think of you as a burden. We’re both young. Even if the next one is a girl, there will be another chance, right?」

「And what if the one after that is also a girl?」

「Then there will be another after that, won’t there?」

「And if that one is also a girl?」

「……」

Ah, this is one of those endless questions unique to women.

「Julia, calm down. Take a deep breath.」

「How can I stay calm?! You don’t know how much I love you or how worried I am about being a burden to you!! You’re too optimistic, Almus!!」

After that, Julia’s scolding(?) continued for about two hours.

◇

「Hey, Almus…」

「Sorry, Julia was a bit emotionally unstable…」

I visited Tetra, about an hour late.

While Julia and Tetra get along well, they are still human and women. It’s natural for them to want to have the man they love all to themselves.

To accommodate this, I always make sure to spend an hour alone with each of them… but this time, Julia went over her allotted time by an hour.

As a result, I ended up making Tetra wait for an hour.

「Hmm…」

Oh, I chose the wrong approach.

It might not be clear to an onlooker, but I can tell by Tetra’s expression and tone that she is displeased. Think about it, what would happen if you say to your girlfriend that the reason for being late to a date was that you were with another woman?

…I’ve been making a lot of bad choices recently. Maybe because I’ve grown complacent after being married for a while…

「So, what should we do about the child’s name? We haven’t decided on the baby’s name yet, have we?」

I forcefully changed the subject. Thankfully, Tetra didn’t seem inclined to dwell on it too much and went along with the new topic without much fuss.

「First, do you prefer a boy or a girl?」

With Julia, this would be a tricky question, but with Tetra, it’s not an issue. In this regard, Tetra is much easier to deal with.

「Hmm, since we already have Ankus, maybe a girl next? But, the future is long, so either is fine.」

Unlike modern Japan, one benefit here is that the effort and cost of raising children are much lower. In Japan, when you want children, you have to plan around concerns like school fees, upbringing costs, and balancing with your job. But here, I am a king.

Raising a hundred or two hundred children may still be difficult, but raising ten or twenty is manageable. Thanks to the wet nurses, childcare isn’t too difficult.

In this world, having more children is seen as a virtue. And thanks to my idea of introducing the method of alcohol sterilization, the risk of puerperal fever has lessened considerably. If thirteen children are born, there’s a high possibility that all thirteen will survive to adulthood, unlike in the past when you might lose more than half.

…I’m starting to worry about Romalia’s population a hundred years from now. Will there be enough food?

「Almus…」

「What is it?」

「I’m feeling a bit uneasy.」

…Cold sweat trickled down my back.

「Will Ankus be killed?」

What?! That escalated quickly!

「Well, if Julia’s child is a girl… I believe Julia wouldn’t do such a thing, but… Raymond, Bartolo or Iarl may…」

「No, no, you’re overthinking it. True, the three of them have pretty bad personalities, but they’re good at heart. They would never do something like that. And I wouldn’t let them.」

「Really, really?」

「It’s true, don’t worry. I’m here with you.」

I hugged Tetra and kissed her cheek, causing her to blush. She lowered her gaze and spoke in a soft voice.

「Sorry, I overthought it. I’m just feeling a bit off… Something like that could never happen, right?」

But Tetra soon looked up at me with eyes still filled with anxiety.

「There’s one more thing I’m worried about.」

「What is it?」

Then, I spent the next three hours listening to Tetra’s worries, stemming from her overthinking.